簡介：◎ 沃普爾吉斯之夜小詞典 ◎「隨心所欲」的英語怎麼說？ ◎ 什麼是 let sb’s hair down？

Partying Down During Walpurgis Night

It's an annual event where participants cut loose around bonfires, often by drinking, dancing and singing. Its origins incorporate legends surrounding St. Walpurga, fused with 17th-century folklore of witches atop Mt. Brocken celebrating the arrival of spring. Although Walpurgis Night was once an occasion to fear witches, it has since become a celebration of them.

The merrymaking kicks off on April 30 (Walpurgis Eve) and concludes on May 1 (May Day or International Worker's Day).

The occasion is celebrated across central Europe and Scandinavia, with the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland and Sweden each having distinct customs.

Germans dress in costumes, play pranks and party around bonfires. Thale, a small German town, is reputed to be the best place to celebrate. Sightseers can learn about rituals and local myths at the Walpurgishalle museum.

Bonfires are lit at dusk, and celebrants enjoy choral performances and dine on nettle soup. Once the fires die down, many proceed to friends' homes to continue the festivities. As May 1 is a public holiday, revelers can let their hair down and go wild late into the night.

歐洲春季狂歡慶典──沃普爾吉斯之夜

沃普爾吉斯之夜是參加者可在營火周圍盡情放鬆的年度活動，他們時常會飲酒、跳舞和歡唱。它的起源包含與聖沃普爾加有關的傳說，也融合十七世紀女巫們在布羅肯峰上慶祝春天到來的民間傳言。雖然沃普爾吉斯之夜曾是展現畏懼女巫的活動，但現在已變成為她們慶祝的盛典。
此歡樂慶典於 4 月 30 日展開（沃普爾吉斯前夕），在 5 月 1 日（五朔節或國際勞動節）結束。
此盛會的慶祝地點橫跨中歐和北歐，捷克共和國、荷蘭、德國、芬蘭和瑞典則各自擁有獨特的習俗。
德國人穿著戲服、惡作劇並在營火周圍開派對。德國的一座小鎮塔勒，據傳是最佳的慶祝地點。遊客可在沃普爾吉斯海爾博物館得知相關的儀式和當地神話。
黃昏時會生營火，慶祝者則享受合唱表演，喝著蕁麻湯。營火變小後，許多人就前往朋友的家繼續慶祝。由於 5 月 1 日是國定假日，享樂者可盡情享受，徹夜狂歡。